Mortar applicator



April 1, 1952 c. w. SADLER 2,591,377

MORTAR APPLICATOR Filed Feb. 7, 1950 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 Patented Apr. 1, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MORTAR APPLICATOR Charles W. Sadler, Essex, Conn.

Application February 7, 1950, Serial No. 142,781

7 Claims. (01. 72-428) This invention relates to a mortar applicator and more particularly to a device for laying mortar upon cinderblocks or bricks for buildings and the like.

An object of this invention is to provide a hand operated device which will greatly facilitate the operation of applying mortar, cement material or the like upon the surfaces at the edges of the walls of building blocks, or upon the surfaces of bricks and other similar articles, in such a manner as to apply a row of the material evenly upon the surface and also to assure that an equal amount of the material is provided between the said blocks or bricks when they are laid in permanent position to form a part of the building.

A further object of this invention is to provide such a device which may be readily cleaned of any material remaining therein and also which can be carried without spilling the material therefrom.

A still further object of the invention is to provid a mortar applicator which will vibrate during the operation thereof to cause even distribution of the material thereby.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will be more clearly understood from the following description and the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a mortar applicator embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof partly in central vertical section.

Fig. 3 is an end view of said device in section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view of the opposite end of the device.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawings, my improved mortar applicator preferably comprises a structure in the form of a frame comprising an upper surrounding section 5 and a lower section 6, both of which are formed of flat bar members and are joined by means of upright end bars 1---'! at each end of the frame. These end bars are disposed at an angle so that they converge towards the top of the frame and preferably form a support for a top plate 8 which is secured at its ends to the bars 'l---! and extends longitudinally of the frame in the center thereof. The said top plate has downwardly bent flanges 9-9 running along the opposite sides thereof which, together with the side portions of the frame sections 5 and 6 and the upright bars 1-1, form a receptacle at each side of the frame to receive hoppers III-l0 which are tapered downwardly and are each open at the bottom thereof to thereby provide an elongated slot ll through which the mortar, or other material, passes from the hoppers. Each of the hoppers is provided at its ends with handle portions |2--l2 by means of which it may be lifted from the frame when desired.

In order to control the passage of the material through each of the said slots H, I provide a shutter [3 which is also adapted to prevent the leakage of the material from the containers as the device is carried from one location to another. The said shutters each rest upon a supporting bar l4 which extends between the lower ends of the opposed upright bars 1-! and are jointly operated to simultaneously open or close the slots ll-H by means of an operating handle [5 extending from one of a pair of upright operating shafts |6l6 which are adjacent to the shutters I 3--| 3 and rotatable in bearings l1-l1 on the top plate 8 and also in bearings l 8--I 8 on parallel from and overlap at the opposite sides of the.

operating shaft. Each of the said shafts has a sprocket by means of which they are inter-connected, with a chain 22, for combined rotation.

When the handle I5 is rotated in a clockwise direction, the levers l9--l9, through their connecting links 20-20, will cause the shutters I3-I3 to be moved outwardly and thereby close the slots ll-ll of the hoppers. When it is desired to open the said slots, the handle I5 is rotated in a contra-clockwise direction.

In order to facilitate the passage of the mortar through the slots IIH, I provide means for vibrating the device during the operation thereof. Such means are preferably included with a pair of supporting wheels 23--23 on an axle 24, at the front of th frame which support the device upon the surface to which the material is applied. These wheels are each provided with a, series of lugs 25 which cause the said device to vibrate as it is held by the handle 26 and moved along on the wheels. The said wheels are prefrably mounted on supporting bars 21-2| and a crank 28, with a handle 29, is provided on the axis 24 for rotating the wheels independently of the handle 26 to assist in vibrating the device.

In addition to the wheels 23-23 there is also 58 provided a pair of vibrating disks 30--30 which are rotatably mounted between the supporting bars 3| ---3| within the frame of the device and each contain series of radial lugs 32 which are also adapted to engage the surface on which the material is applied and cause vibration of the device.

If desired, a guide wheel 33 may be provided at each side of the device, opposite the wheel 23. These guide wheels are mounted upon a vertical shaft 34 which is rotatable in bearings 35 so as to rotatably support the wheels; 33 in a horizontal position to engage the sides of the blocks, or bricks, upon which the material is applied and thereby guide one end of the device on said blockswhile the opposite end is guided by the flanges 36 on the wheels 23 which overlap the sides of the said blocks or bricks as shown.

In the operation of my improved. mortar applicator, the slots ll of the hoppers are first closed by rotating the handle I5 in a clockwise direction. The hoppers Ill-l are then filled with mortar and the device is placed upon a tier of cinderblocks, or bricks, Such as indicated. at 31, which are juxta-positioned so that the surfacesupon which the mortar is to be applied will be at. the top of the tier. The devic is then placed upon the said tierf, so that it will beguided thereon by means of the flanges 36 and by the wheels 3333, and held by the handle 26. The handle I is then rotated in a contra-clockwise direction and this withdraws the shutters l3-i3 and opens the slots H-|I of the hoppers. The crank 28is then rotated by. the handle 29 and the device is moved. along the top of the tier while the lugs'32 of the disks 30-40 are permitted to contact with the surface of the tier. The device will then vibrate as it is moved along the top of the tier and the mortar, or other material, in the hoppers |0I'0 will be shaken downwardly in the hoppers and passes through the slots I|--Il onto the surface of the tier in such a manner that, with a little experience, anwoperator will be enabled to apply a row of a uniform layer of the material upon the said surface with a minimum expenditure of time and labor. After the material has been applied, the shutters l3-| 3 may be closed, to retain the remaining material in the hoppers, and the device is removed. The

blocks, or bricks, may thenbe taken from the tier, with the material thereon, and placed in their permanent positions;

It will be understood that my invention is particularly useful in applying themortar material upon the fiat end surfaces of theblocksor bricks. This is accomplishedin the same manner as above described while the adjacent blocks are placed with their fiat end portions facing up.- wardly.

It is advisable to. lay the mortar on the .surface of several blocks in a single operation so that the mortar first deposited will have had sufficient time in which to adhereto the block in order that the mortar will not fallfrom the block when it is removed from the row and placed in position in the. constructionin which it is used.

It will thus be seen, that my mortar applicator greatly facilitates the application of mortar to blocks or bricks and also prevents the excessive use of mortar. which Would result in waste of both mortar and labor.

While I have illustrated and describedan applicator with two hoppers for applying two rows of material, the: said'fapplicator may be constructed with any number of rows ofthe material which are required and which depends upon the number of walls in the construction of the particular cinderblocks used.

I claim:

1. A device for applying mortar or the like upon a surface which comprises a frame, wheels for supporting said frame upon a surface, a hopper in said frame, the said hopper having an opening in the bottom thereof for passage of material therethrough, a shutter movable under said hopper for controlling the passage of material through said opening, and projections on said supporting wheels for causing vibration of the said device during the operation thereof.

2. A device for spreading rows of mortar upon a surface which includes a frame, a plurality of hoppers contained within said frame, the bottoms of each of said hoppers being open to permit the passage of material therefrom, shutters oppositely movable in said frame for controlling the passage of said material through the bottoms of the hoppers, a pair of wheels for supporting said device upon the surface towhich the material is applied, lugs on said wheels for causing vibration of the device, and a crank for rotating; said wheels to cause said vibration.

3. A device forxapplying. mortar or the like upon a surface, the said device including a frame, a pair of spaced hoppers removablysupported in said frame; the bottom of said hoppers being open to permit the passage of material therethrough,-a pair of shutters oppositely movable in said frame beneath said hoppers for controlling the passage of material therefrom, manually operable means for simultaneously moving said shutters, supporting wheels on said device, acrank for rotating said wheels, a pair of disks rotatable in said frame, and projections on said disks and wheels engageable-With the said surface to cause vibration of the device.

4. A mortar applicator comprising a frame constructed of upper and. lower surrounding members :secured'to upright bars, a pair of hoppers supported .in said frame, each of said hoppers having an opening inthe bottom thereof for the passage of mortar, a pairof oppositely movable shutterscarried on said frame and adjacent thebottoms.ofsaid hoppers for closing said openings, manually operable means for moving-said shutters to control the flow of mortar from the hoppers, parallel spaced supporting bars extending lengthwise through said frame, discs contained between said parallel bars and having peripheral projections for causing vibration of the applicator to facilitate the passage of the mortar throughsaid openings as the-applicator is moved along a surface upon which the mortar is to beapplied; said means also providing a support for said frame, and wheels supporting said. applicator in proper relation to the said surface and retainingit thereon.

5. A mortar applicator for applying rows of mortar upon the-edges of cinderblocks or the like comprising a frame constructedof surrounding barmembers secured together by angularly disposed upright bars, a top plate extending. lengthwise in said frame and secured to the top of said uprightb arsto provide a support extending longitudinallyof said frame, a plurality of elongated hoppers supported by said top plate, each of said hoppers having anopening extending lengthwise in the bottom thereof fordelivering material from the hopper in a row upon thesurface to which the material is to be applied, a shutter carried by said frame adjacent the bottom of each of said hoppers for controlling the flow of the material through said opening, a pair of wheels having flanges thereon for retaining the applicator upon a tier of blocks or bricks to which the material is to be applied, a handle at the end of said frame opposite said wheels for manually supporting the applicator, a pair of disks rotatably mounted in the frame and adapted to engage the surface upon which the applicator is used, means for manually rotating the wheels as the applicator is moved along said surface, and a plurality of spaced lugs on said wheels and disks for causing vibration of the applicator to facilitate the passage of the material through the slots.

6. A mortar applicator as set forth in claim 5 which includes retaining members rotatably mounted in said frame and disposed below the bottoms of said hoppers for engaging the sides of the articles upon which the material is to be applied to thereby retain the said applicator in position thereon.

7. A mortar applicator for applying rows of mortar upon articles such as cinderblocks, said applicator comprising a frame, a pair of elongated hoppers each located at an opposite side of the frame and having an elongated opening in the bottom thereof for the passage of material therefrom, shutters oppositely movable in said frame for controlling the flow of material from said hoppers, means including interconnected upright bars rotatable in said frame, a lever on each of the said bars and connecting links between said lever and shutters for oppositely moving said shutters upon rotation of one of the bars, a pair of supporting wheels at the front end of said applicator; said wheels having projections on the periphery thereof for causing the applicator to vibrate as it is moved over a surface to thereby facilitate the flow of material from said hoppers, a pair of disks rotatably mounted on said frame to support the opposite end of the applicator; and a pair of wheels rotatable on vertical axis at the opposite sides of the said frame adjacent to the rear end thereof and disposed below the bottom of the applicator for engaging the sides of the said cinderblocks to retain the applicator thereon.

CHARLES W. SADLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 741,507 Knight Oct. 13, 1903 1,158,460 D011 NOV. 2, 1915 1,831,146 Sirois Nov. 10, 1931 2,098,870 Heltzel Nov. 9, 1937 2,341,691 Ciceske Feb. 15, 1944 

